Workers May Get 3.5 Percent Raise

DU PAGE COUNTY — A general salary increase of 3.5 percent for Du Page County`s 2,400 employees beginning Dec. 1 was endorsed Monday by the County Board`s Finance Committee. The vote was 5-4.

If approved by the full board, the general increase, coupled with annualized merit increases totaling 3 percent, would increase the county`s payroll next year by about $2 million, according to Human Resources Director Jack Tenison.

The $600,000 pool of merit increase money won`t be available until June.

The county`s current payroll, not counting the Health Department, the forest preserve district and employees paid through grants, totals about $40 million, according to Tenison.